The Queen of Spades Page #3

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Come on, Andrei, drink up.

What's the matter with you?

Oh, nothing, nothing at all.

You've got all the symptoms of a man in love.

Have I?

Do I know her?

In a sense, yes.

Do you remember your grandmother's young companion?

Lizaveta Ivanovna?

Why she's a pathetic little creature.

Is she?

I'm sorry.

I didn't know you knew her.

Where on earth did you manage to see her?

I met her accidentally one day at the bird market.

She was buying some canaries for your grandmother.

My dear old fellow, you're not really serious about this,

are you?

Yes.

I've never been more serious in my life.

Come on, have a drink.

Come in.

Oh, so you're in.

I wonder why you stopped coming to our card parties.

Why don't you come tonight?

No, thank you.

I'm not interested in cards at the moment.

Forget hard work for once.

Oh, I'm not working, I'm...

writing a love letter.

You writing a love letter?

But you've never written one in your life,

have you?

Why, have you?

Well, not properly, no,

but I know now what it's like to be in love.

Then tell me how you would compose

a letter of this sort.

I mean, what burning phrases would you use?

I should say, "I love you to distraction."

"Your dark eyes have driven away my rest and peace.

Oh, if you could but love me."

I have got a letter for you.

This can't be for me.

But it is.

It couldn't be. I don't know this person.

German Suvorin.

I've never heard of him in my life.

Well, it's addressed to you.

No. There must be some mistake.

Of course it's for you.

You read it through properly and see.

Why have you torn it up if it isn't for you?

You must go now.

What shall I say?

Haven't you got a message for him?

Tell him please not to write to me again.

I love you to distraction.

Your dark eyes have driven away my rest and peace.

Your dark eyes have driven away my rest and peace.

Lisaveta, if you could but love me.

To Lisaveta Ivanovna.

I revere you...

I esteem and admire you.

You are dearer to me than language

has the power of telling.

You are dearer to me

than language has the power

of telling.

Don't touch my arm like that or I shall be black and blue.

That will do. That's enough.

Don't fidget me, my dear.

I'm quite capable of walking by myself.

I will be waiting for you at the entrance

of the Opera House.

Who's there? Who's there?

It's I, grandmama. Pray don't disturb yourself.

I cannot withstand people creeping about me like this.

How are you, my dear boy?

Liza, make room for the prince.

No, please. I can see well enough from here.

If you don't meet me tonight, I shall kill myself.

And you will be responsible for my death.

Fyodor Pavlovitch, you're making fun of me.

No, I assure you. You've made a conquest.

Who is it, then?

A very charming friend of mine.

Is he in the army?

Yes.

In the engineers?

No, he's in the horse guards with me.

Don't you recall the occasion I brought him

to the countess' house

and we heard you crying on the staircase?

Yes, of course...

Oh, so that's who it is.

But why the engineers, Lizaveta Ivanovna?

Oh, no particular reason.

Come now. You're blushing.

I've just discovered your little secret.

Nothing of the sort. There's no secret at all.

What are you whispering about?

The music, Grandmama.

Well, pull up your chair. You can't see from there.

I do not like that dress, Lizaveta.

A girl of your age should not expose herself like that.

especially when we are together.

Now remember, you must make yourself

as agreeable as possible for the countess.

Flatter her a little.

What, Aunt Katya?

Flatter! Flatter her a little.

Oh, yes, I see.

What sort of thing should I say?

Why, any odd words, my dear boy.

What would you say to some charming young girl?

I don't know, Aunt Katya.

Pay her some compliments.

Be gay and amusing.

Countess Ranevskaya.

Yes.

I have my nephew with me.

He's the grandson of your old friend, Count Dobrinski.

He's been pleading me to present him to you.

Where is he?

Nicky... Nicky!

So you're Dobrinski's grandson.

I should never have known it.

He was the handsomest man in the Imperial Guard.

And I dare say he still is.

I didn't really know my grandpapa, Countess.

I can just remember a great fat man with a purple face

who was always hitting the servants with his stick

and making us all laugh.

It must be fifteen years since he died

but I can still remember his coffin being carried out.

What is the boy saying?

Yes, it was most unfortunate.

Most unfortunate.

Why unfortunate, Aunt Katya.

After all, he was nearly eighty.

What else could you expect at that age?

We shall be seeing you at the ball tomorrow.

Young lout.

Oh, Andrei.

Who's that?

Oh, make room for Prince Narumov.

What's the matter with you tonight?

It's quite all right.

I can see quite well from here.

How hot it is in here. Quite stifling.

Are you feeling unwell?

It's my head. I feel faint. I think I'll go and sit

in the foyer for a little while.

Yes, of course. May I escort you?

No, I assure you it's only the heat.

I shall have recovered in a few moments.

I don't think that...

No, I insist, I insist!

That probably accounts for the young baron's insistence.

He's reputed to be uncommonly fond of...

Lizaveta!

Odd to meet you here.

Where else can we meet?

Someone is bound to see us.

I must speak to you.

They'll be looking for me. I have only a moment.

Please.

Listen, Lizaveta.

That was no idle threat in my letter.

If I cannot go on seeing you

there is only one solution for me: death.

Death?

Yes, I'd rather die here at your feet

than live without you.

Death is nothing to me.

You frighten me when you talk like that.

Oh, then I'll be silent.

Only I beg, don't send away the man to whom

the sight of you is all the consolation he has left.

I don't make any demands upon you, but I must,

unless I carry out my threats, have leave

to see you.

When and where?

I can never leave the house alone.

Promotion?

And how can you get a promotion?

My coat.

How can you get promotion...

unless you win the favor of some general?

You stupid boy!

I was only trying to be gay and amusing, Aunt Katya.

Gay and amusing? Don't talk to me about gay and amusing.

You must get away from this life.

You must do as I say.

When do you go out with the countess again?

Tomorrow night to the ball.

Tomorrow?

And what time do you return?

At three.

I'll slip into the house at midnight and wait.

Will there be any servants about?

No. They all retire to sleep awaiting our return.

Help me, Lizaveta. Where can I wait?

Where can I conceal myself?

No. Please forget what I said.

I must be out of my senses.

Lizaveta!

Please let me go now.

I love you.

Do you believe me?

Yes.

Then do as I say.

I intend to find my way inside the house.

I think I'll go and see how she is, Fyodor.

I feel uneasy.

You'll only anger her.

Don't worry, she'll be back before long.

I cross the hall and come right

to the servant's staircase.

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